The Wandering Star
by giftedartist13
Summary: This is my first fanfic ever and I don't think my writing was that bad, but I really hope that you enjoy it. The story follows a "teenage" girl (*sarcastically*: gee, never heard that one before) who uncovers her life with someone else. Set today, after House of Hades. Please give it a chance :) Please!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I crept closer towards the clearing, running my hand over the brick wall that I leaned on, the other wrapped tightly over my gun. A soft breeze ran through the air, brushing lightly against the collar of my coat. As I moved closer, the voices grew louder and much more clear. I stopped at a set of bars that scaled the side of the building, knowing what I had to do in order to take a closer look.

Gripping the rusty metal tightly, I worked my way up the structure, halting every couple minutes in case they heard me. My celestial bronze bullet chimed against the metal beneath and I silently slapped my forehead, cursing my smooth moves. It hadn't been long before I'd reached the top, peering over the edge at the empty lot below.

"-don't understand how the Earth Mother expects us to sit here when all the action is happening in Greece!", a dog-faced monster complained.

I rolled my eyes: _telekhines_. What a bunch of whiners.

He continued dramatically. "When we served Kronos, we were at the top of our league! Nobody could-"

"Silence!", the other telekhine snapped. The lamp behind me flickered and buzzed chaotically. "I smell something powerful stirring in our presence…"

I breathed slowly, my hand now pressed against the trigger, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Then, suddenly, a dracaena appeared from the shadows, her eyes narrowed to mere slits.

She hissed so fiercely that even the telekhines backed up, fear plastered on their faces. The dracaena pointed at a young boy who slouched against the wall, his blade glowing red in the streetlights. I scowled – some demigods just can't think for themselves, can they? Then again, their godly parents weren't all angelic.

"Is this son of Ares not powerful?", she demanded. "Are we not four powerful beings standing blocks away from Mt Olympus? Sharpen your senses!"

Well, they couldn't have picked have picked a dumber place to have their little "gathering". I mean, blocks from Mt Olympus? Come on! It was a death wish. The timing couldn't have been more perfect as I jumped from the edifice (the way I'd perfected), disintegrating the telekhines mid-yelp with my bullets. The pellets dropped to the ground, seconds before I landed with smooth accuracy and stared at my enemies, not even flinching. Knocking aside the demigod, I focused intently on the demon.

The dracaena wailed. "Not fair! You'll pay for that you, you –"

I sighed. She was _really_ annoying. Back in the day, monsters would have **some**integrity, but I guess times change. Now it's 'all talk and no fight'. My gleaming white sword was swinging in my hand now, ready to attack. She lunged at me, her fangs inches from my arm with a murderous look on her face. I feinted left, then twirled behind her, pivoting on my feet, and then stabbed her in the right in the gut. She exploded into monster dust. I brushed my shoulder, bits of grime falling to the ground. In the corner of my eye, I noticed something move behind me, crashing loudly against a garbage can. It was the teen, fumbling to get up, and I turned to face him.

The son of Ares stood, wide-eyed. "Who are you?"

"I swear, is it just me," I asked, "Or are demigods getting stupider every year? Yeah, I'm sure your little 'friends' were going to leave you in one piece. Gods, what were you thinking?"

He glared at me with the utmost amount of hatred. Yep, definitely a son the war god.

"I'll have you know that I can fight my own battles and you'll pay for destroying my leaders," he growled. "Besides, why side with the losing end?"

"Right… because fighting for an evil goddess is going to go so incredibly well on your résumé," I countered. "Let me know how that works out for you."

He screamed in outrage, "The gods are the ones that are evil! They abandon us and force us to be slaves for them: all the ridiculous quests and the monsters…You're the one that's stupid and naïve if you work for them!"

"Careful, son of Ares," I said, as the corner of my mouth twitched up. His eyes danced with anger. I unsheathed my sword under the night sky which had now grown completely black, no stars to be seen. The street lamps all turned off except for one, that stood tall from the side of the clearing. "First off, I work for nobody. Second, you don't want to upset me, and if you're looking for a fight then you've got the wrong battle."

The demigod fumbled back, crashing up against the wall and the garbage cans. He furrowed his brow, probably still trying to figure out my godly parent. Funny, these enemy demigods were: reject their godly parent but distinguish one another by them. Anyways, he would never get it right. Nobody ever did.

"Go to Camp-Half Blood," My smile contorted into a scowl and my eyes turned as dark as the sky, "and maybe they can talk some sense into you."

His eyes widened in fright. He turned on his heels and booked it. The lights turned back on and the sky brightened, just a little. I put away my sword and zipped up my coat, noticing a tear in one of the sleeves I had gotten from the fight with the dracaena. I groaned in irritation. Zipping up my jacket, I walked out of the alleyways and into the city of New York.

I walked along the sidewalk, taking out my phone to listen to music, ignoring a group of loud, giggly teenagers that walked by me. Usually, in a world full of ancient Greek monsters, you couldn't use much modern-day technology (long story), but monsters pretty much found me anyways so there was really no point in putting away my phone.

The time was marked clearly over my dark backdrop and I sighed – it was getting late. I desperately needed a drink, but glancing nervously at the old bar I used to go to, there wasn't a chance they'd let me back in. The last time I'd been in there, I got kicked out for starting a fight and breaking some guy's nose. Oops, my bad.

The bullets that hung from my waist had already transformed back into a regular mortal belt and my FNP-9 that shot celestial bronze bullets was tucked away at my side. My feet ached from the roughness of the landing, and I immediately regretted my spectacular jump. I hadn't been home in about a week, but tonight I'd go back and sleep for hours! I walked down the stairs to the subway station, as I'd always done on my way home. But this time, someone was waiting there for me.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sharp breezes blew by past the platform, running through my hair and between my fingers. I tucked my hands in my pockets, staring directly at the figure who gazed back at me. She was in her mid-twenties, with bleach blond hair that fell loosely down the middle of her back. Her skin was pale, and her black eyes seemed to suck you in like dark magic. In fact, her airbrushed features almost gave her a "twitchy" sort of look. She wore black jeans and a purple sweater paired with black leather boots. Her posture was stiff, stern and dark, though her expression was much gentler. I recognised her at once.

Giving a curt nod, I advanced slowly to the goddess's side. A small grin traced her lips as we boarded onto the train, choosing our seats rows down from an elderly couple in the almost-empty compartment. I glanced out the window, counting the bright stars in the dark sky and admiring the tall buildings of the city.

Either way, she looked positively stunning while I sat beside her, my faded blue-ish/grey jeans thrown together with a black tank top, my favourite pale green coat and light brown lace-up hiking boots. I caught my reflection as well, and whereas she had had gorgeous blond hair running down her back, my chestnut-coloured curls scattered messily over my shoulders.

"My lady," I mumbled under my breath. "Why have you come to see me?"

She sighed in exasperation. "I told you a millennia ago to stop calling me that, Celeste. I came to see how you were doing and it's been a while since I've last visited. I would like," she laughed, "to say how you've grown, but of course your immortality poses a couple challenges. It's good to see you again. However, there is the matter of you drawing attention to yourself and being recognised; particularly by the gods. I must urge you to be careful - I don't want to have a repeat of what happened last time."

I winced, remembering how furious she was when she almost had to tell Artemis and Apollo about me before coming up with an excuse for my actions. The city glow was slowly dimming in the background. I turned back to face her. She put herself through a lot over the centuries, most of it for my sake. My shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, "I'll try less roof jumps?"

She didn't look impressed.

"I really am sorry though, I just don't understand how much more inconspicuous I have to be. The gods want to kill me, monsters want to kill me, and I'm fighting until I can't breathe. If you're asking me, I'm getting way too old for this…"

She shook her head, chuckling softly. "You said the same thing during World War 2, and look how far you've come. I just need to find a way to protect you," she said sadly, "All I've ever wanted was for you to be safe… happy."

I nodded to show her that I understood how much she tried, and our train stopped. We got off at the station, walking in silence, the heels of her boots clipping against the ground. A car zipped past us, blowing her hair in a kind of dramatic heroine way, and blowing mine all over my face, practically choking me. I spit my curls out of my mouth. We moved closer to the woods and further from the city. I peered over at the spot earth that I swore I saw move, shivering at the thought of Gaea rising.

A thought nagged in the back of my head, but I couldn't force it down. "Why you did you side with Kronos?" I blurted, unable to keep back from my annoying habit of verbally communicating my every thought.

She paused for a while, knotting her lips. "You of all should know that I am truly more than a minor goddess, born of two powerful titans. Yet I had no throne, no respect and I was acclaimed 'minor' even when I fought for Zeus. I had hoped he would prove a better king, but I was wrong. I acted out of spite and bitterness, Celeste, and regret it."

I looked out of the corner of my eye and could see tears brimming hers. I almost missed a step because of how strange it was to actually see emotions from her. Well this was new.

She continued quietly, "It not only took the loss of the battle to see my errors, but also the death of my demigod children, who fought bravely and died while fighting Kronos' army. I've made peace with the Olympians now and I think it's a reasonable decision."

Whoa, man. That was heavy.

We walked another couple of blocks before arriving at an ocean front home nestled between the woods, far from the city lights and other people. A fancy black car was parked in the driveway.

She raised her eyebrows, "I see you've been doing well."

I couldn't deny it. My house was beautiful, with a perfect view to the ocean, the sky and the city faraway. I fiddled with my keys, but we finally walked indoors to a large, warm hall with the most intricate designs and furnishings.

"Well," she stated. "I guess I'll be going now."

"You don't even want to stay? But," I stuttered, "I, I thought-"

She gave me a scolding look, "You know that I want to spend more time with you but I can't. As a goddess, even _minor_, I can never stay anywhere for long. But I promise you, I will see you again very soon and then I will stay for a while. Take care, Celeste, and I mean it."

She stopped for a minute, looking me deeply in the eyes. "One more thing, I hope you know that the gods are not your biggest threat at the moment. No doubt you are aware of Gaea's rising and her plans on turning monsters, minor gods and their children. Don't accept any of her temptations under any condition. Am I understood?"

My stomach churned, but I managed a nod. She looked a little bit more relieved, letting out a deep breath.

"You look so much like Mother." She studied my face, heaving a solemn sigh and brushing back a loose curl. She turned and I could just barely make out her words, "If only she were here." The pink fled from my cheeks as I watched her walk out the door and disappear.

"Bye," I muttered. I walked over to lock the door,feeling slightly embarrassed. And I stood there, bewildered, like a _complete_ idiot while she walked out. I know she had things to do, but she couldn't have stayed? Just a couple more minutes?

I pondered this, tying my hair into a bun and stepping into the shower. I mean, I knew she was busy but a couple minutes for her sister wasn't much to ask, probably since I couldn't usually talk to anyone. Was I being ungrateful? Or was she embarrassed by me? I looked in the mirror, my toothbrush in one hand, wondering if I shouldn't have taken her offer of immortality all those millennia ago.

I slipped into my dark blue pyjama pants and my grey muscle tee with Mickey mouse on it, pulling back the covers of my queen-sized bed. I climbed in, tugging the soft blankets over me, gazing at the stars above through the glass ceiling. As I pushed a button by my bedside, the bed moved up just so that the glass was within reach. I thought about how I committed myself to helping others, including (and especially) demigods, the children with the most power, the most potential. Within minutes, I fell asleep, under the starry night sky that winked at me.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

Seeing as I can control dreams of the night, you would guess that I could control my own – NOPE. That never held me back from having a horrible night's sleep.

I got a special dream from Miss Evil-Ancient-Goddess-Bent-On-Destroying-The-World which, ironically, she had ultimate power over. Basically, she ran the play by play of manipulation. She used my past, my most terrifying memories, my secret powers, the gods and my dreams to try and convince me that I could be powerful on their side (yeah right, lady). She went on: blah, opportunity of a lifetime, blah, blah, great personal benefits like actually staying alive and surviving the destruction of mankind. In the end, she left me with "the most difficult decision I could ever make". You know, just the usual: surrender, die or join us. I could really see how wrong I was about a power-hungry megalomaniac who either killed everything she saw, or joined it to her collection of minions.

I would like to say that I woke up singing 'Kumbaya', dancing around with a bowl of Lucky Charms, but obviously that hadn't happened. I wore my white crop top with the words "You Got Served" printed in large letter across the front of it. I remember when I bought it from Forever 21, I thought it would be funny for it to be the last words the monsters ever saw when I killed them. If they were ever chatting up a friend in Tartarus and the subject of death came along, they'd say: I got served. Unfortunately, the saleslady didn't share my sense of humour.

I pulled up my light denim jeans, quickly trying to braid my hair in the process. I'd woken up late in my usual standards, the clock read 9:30 probably due to the fact that I got home at two o'clock from fighting a couple monsters. I ran down the stairs as fast as I could without tripping over my own feet, stopping to lace up my red converses at the bottom of the staircase. I grabbed my black cardigan and sped out the door.

Not before long, I had made it back into the city streets, walking into at least a dozen stores prior to stopping at Esquires for a late breakfast: a strawberry smoothie and a bagel with cream cheese. I sat down, choosing a small table near the corner, close to the window where the sun shone through and I took a sip of my drink.

I turned to face the door that opened, giving way to a spring breeze that ruffled the stray strands of my braided hair. I grumbled, but stopped immediately as I realised it was a demigod that walked in, tall and muscular with curly black hair and captivating blue eyes. The edges of his mouth were slightly tinged red, but appeared to have been fading, like they were scrubbed fiercely. He wore a purple roman shirt and his grey jeans had rips and cuts most likely from another blade. He walked up to the counter, his Imperial gold gladius swinging in his hand and asked the barista if they carried Kool-Aid.

Hold up; WHAT?

I drew a breath, sinking lower in my chair and hiding my book in my face. He grimaced as the young girl behind the counter had to break it to him that they had no Kool-Aid, then he began to rap his knuckles in an irritating fashion on the counter before deciding on a red fruit smoothie. He scanned the room, then noticed my titanium white sword that hung at my waist. Looking absolutely puzzled, he walked over. _Great_, I thought, _Oh, sh-_

"So," He twirled his gladius inches away from my foot and lowered his voice so only I could here it. I snapped my fingers, concentrating hard on the Mist, hoping it would be enough to confuse the mortals around us. "What do we have here…Who might you be? A Greek half-blood sent to spy on us? Or a minion of Gaea?"

"I am not with Gaea," I growled like a cornered animal, putting down my novel on the tabletop. I unsheathed my sword, gleaming in the sunlight. "And technically I'm Greek, but I prefer not to choose sides, having served the Roman Legion and all. What – you think I haven't held an SPQR banner into battle before?" I added quickly at his shocked expression. He regained his composure.

"Lies," he clucked, "All lies. Greek lies at that, too. Alright, we could make this easy or we could make this extremely difficult. As a leader of the 5th Cohort, under the name of the 12th Legion, I will have to take you to my praetor."

I grinned, "Oh… you mean Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano. Well, that won't be so bad; by all means, take me as your prisoner."

He stumbled back, reminding me of the son of Ares I had faced yesterday. My knuckles turned white, gripping the granite countertop of the table. I knew what was going to happen next before it did. The sky darkened dangerously, turning a deep shade of grey, piled with clouds. Pedestrians stopped in the streets, gasping at the unusual weather changes. I could have kicked myself in the face! I'm told not to attract attention and what do I do? Shield any light from the sun around New York City!

I took five deep breaths. Six. The clouds suddenly cleared leaving everything as it was, with the sun shining through again. Mortals outside were moving on, positive it was anything than the unordinary. I muttered about every curse I could think of at myself, then chugged half my smoothie. Sometimes, I just didn't know my own power.

As for the demigod, he seemed to recover from the incident, realizing that I had more power than I let on. Of course, now he would be obliged to take me back for questioning which was the most brilliant way to expose myself and get me killed. Way to go, Celeste.

The boy led me out into the streets, poking and prodding me with his sword every couple seconds while finishing his fruit smoothie. If only the Mortals could see. But he didn't seem like he really wanted to be violent. I could've easily beaten him, outrun him, but what was I to do now that the gods would be looking for the strange blackout of the sun? Apollo won't be too happy…

We halted at a small building that I never noticed before, with the letter stamped on the front door in purple (gee, obvious much?). Roman headquarters. We went inside, upstairs, passing by at least a million other roman demigods and tons of rooms filled with games, blueprints, weaponry and food. Hallways were cleaned to the last speck of dust, and everything seemed so neat. I almost forgot what it was like to be a part of the Legion. I walked slowly up to a brown door when I heard a voice that scared me out of my wits. I turned to face a skinny scarecrow of a kid with sandy blond hair and cold, blue eyes. He held a teddy bear in one hand and a ceremonial dagger in the other: an augur.

"Well…" He clutched the bear, squeezing it's right arm. His eyes were filled with malice, which made you think he was some type of madman that should never ever be trusted with anything sharp. "Is this a spy? A Greek demigod perhaps?"

The curly dark haired one cleared his throat, evidently uncomfortable with the augur. He opened his mouth then closed, doubting if he could tell him.

"No!" he lied, "A straggler from New Rome, followed us for the battle though she isn't qualified and her godly parentage is unknown, so really, there's no use for her. Octavian, would you happen to know where Reyna is?"

He paused, hoping Octavian would buy it. Personally, I would never: he rambled way too much, in a nervous way, which made him look like he was lying. There was a moment of quietness, the augur inspected me like one of his stuffed animals before finally coming to a conclusion.

"She seems fit," he stated, "Give her some armor and prepare her for the battlefield. As for Reyna, she has left for Greece on a suicide mission for a bunch of Greeks and outcasts."

"But she doesn't even know how to fight!" he cried defiantly.

"I don't care," Octavian snapped. "We need every able bodied roman out there when it begins. Oh, and Centurion Dakota? Might I remind you that _I_ am the senior ranking officer here, so whatever you needed to discuss, I'm sure I could substitute for out dear _praetor_."

He said the last word like a taunt. I was disliking the augur more and more by the minute. The demigod, Dakota, shot him a vicious glare, as if he was going to attack him, then turned to open the brown door with the numbers 138 on it, pushing me in and slamming it behind him.

"Hate that guy," he muttered, turning to face me. "Now, let's start with who the hell are you?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

I sat on a beanbag chair in the middle of the room, fiddling with a gorgon figurine that I found on the desk, brushing my feet against the purple carpet. The cozy loft was decorated with grape vines, plants, battle strategies, posters of bands and various pictures, probably from his life back in New Rome. I recognised Reyna instantly. Dakota stared at me, watching my every move, just in case I burst out in kung-fu fighting. He laid his sword on the table, as if to say _Don't lie, or things will not end well for you._

I sighed, "The Greeks call me Celeste, but you guys would refer to me as Vespera."

"The Evening Star," he translated, nodding his head. "Go on."

"The first time joined the legion was-" I paused, hesitating. My sister's warnings seemed to resonate in my head. "-was a long time ago, and it was the 55th Legion. I got a letter of recommendation from my sister, and was signed up immediately. Evidently, I had to dress up as a male, but I earned their respect and soon became a Centurion of the 3rd Cohort. I quit a couple years into it, going MIA on the battlefield. Centuries later, I joined the Twelfth Legion Fulminata, acting as a legacy, a minor legionnaire, before I left yet again, around the time of Michael Varus."

Dakota was at a loss for words. What I told him would mean that I was much older than I looked, much older than 18. I drew a deep breath and continued, "I know what you're thinking. Look, I don't like to talk about my family because it means bad news for the gods; you know they don't like anyone with too much power. I'm not an enemy of Rome or Greece. But it's true: I am immortal and I'm not a demigod. I don't know how much I can tell you here, but if you come to my place, then maybe I can explain it."

What was I thinking? My tongue seemed to move much faster than my brain for some odd reason. The Centurion thought about it for a minute, grabbing a Kool-Aid, then hesitantly agreed. We went into the hallway, down the stairs and snuck out the back door before I could change my mind.

By the time we had gotten to my house, it was already noon and I was dying for lunch, my uneaten bagel still wrapped up in my pocket. He walked into my driveway, eyeing my beautiful ebony Aston Martin, and he almost choked on his Kool-Aid. I could already tell that he was in love… with my car. Awkward. I led him inside, making sure his precious Kool-Aid didn't spill and that he kept his focus away from the vehicle.

He whistled, "Nice place. How do you afford it?"

I laid my right palm out to him, then closed it shut and when it opened again, it had a ten dollar bill in it. He raised his eyebrows, clearly astonished but not exactly surprised. We walked into the living room, my feet sliding on the hardwood floor because of my blue polka dotted socks. I plopped myself on the leather sofa, sinking back into it's layers.

Dakota fixed his gaze on me, clearly uninterested in doing anything but getting his answers, which I had promised to him. I sat up straight, trying to figure out how to tell him… or maybe how to show him.

"My past," I started, "Is difficult for me. I don't think it's anything that I can really explain. Because of my mother's power that I inherited, I can control most dreams. I can send them, use them as a warning, show prophetic dreams and - even show some of my memories. For me to show you this, I need you to trust me."

"Okay, but how'll this work?" he demanded. I could see how restless and suspicious he was getting.

"It'll temporarily drain my energy, so I'll need to eat first." I glanced at the kitchen counter and the fridge, wondering if there was anything worth munching on. "You up for some amazing homemade food?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I pulled out the chopping board, gathering all the cheeses, seasonings and vegetables I had. I went to work, Dakota grumbling about how I could just use magic instead of actually doing things. Every so often, we tried to make a conversation or Dakota would ask more questions. He had relaxed a bit, but only a bit. He also gave me the impression that he wasn't usually like this, he looked as though he was really just a carefree guy. Still, I couldn't shake the strange feeling that this was meant to happen and I was meant to share what had happened to me with this Roman boy.

"Let's play 20 questions," he decided. "Just to, uh- just to pass the time."

"Fine," I muttered. I knew where this was going to go, and I was not happy about it. The knot in my stomach tightened. "You can start."

He balanced the end of a spoon in between his teeth. "First question: you said that your mother was powerful, but tell me about your father."

_Chop._ My knife slid on an angle at the mention of my dad, curving the piece of my diced carrot and rendering it uneven. I breathed in and out slowly, trying to prevent what went on in the city again.

"My father was a mortal and when he found my mother, they fell in love straightaway. After I was born, my mother was overjoyed, but my father left her – out of disgust or fear, I don't know or really care – because he had realised who she was and what she was capable of. On top of that, he realised what I, his offspring, was capable of. I was meant to grow up in the mortal world with my father but since he left so suddenly, it was just my mom and my sister, hidden away from the gods and the Titans. I never really remember my father, but my mother could never forget his chestnut coloured hair, and Mediterranean complexion that she fell for instantly."

My words rattled off like I'd prepared this speech for decades. I couldn't bring myself to say what happened next, or any other details. My head hung low so that he wouldn't see my expression. I didn't know how I could face him when he found out. _If_ he found out. If is good.

I chopped the remainder of my carrots in rhythm with my heartbeat, rapid and deep, then put them aside with the peas and onions.

I waited for Dakota to say something, but I had obviously turned this game of "20 questions" into "1 question". We finished the rest of the cooking in silence.

It was 1: 45 and the sun outside glowed with warmth. I opened the windows, bringing my plate and Dakota's to the dining room, laying on the opposite ends of the long mahogany table. The Centurion looked over at me, snorting.

"What's so funny?" I asked in a clipped tone.

"Nothing," he said, trying to keep a straight face, "Only the fact that while the rest of the legion is preparing for battle, I'm sitting at a table having minestrone soup and grilled cheese sandwiches with a Greek."

He lifted up his palm, and a grape that sat on a plate in the middle of the dining table flew right into it.

"Hey, how do you know Reyna?" he asked. I gritted my teeth, rethinking a name for Dakota… maybe 'question mark'.

"Told you about the dreams, didn't I?" I waved a pierogi in the air. "Well, I had to deliver one to her, being the praetor and all."

I asked him about the red marks around his mouth.

"Oh, those," he sighed. "I love to party as much as the next person, but apparently I take it too far, disgracing my rank and my cohort. I'm a son of Bacchus, so I drink red Kool-Aid with double sugar every single day, which is how I got these," Dakota said, showing the stains off like scars from a fight. "After the Greeks waged war on us, my superiors ordered me to take my job more seriously, especially since the betrayer was let in by me and in my cohort. I just don't understand how Percy could be evil, since I thought he was so nice and all."

"Perseus Jackson," I giggled, "I've always had a weakness for sons of Poseidon, except for Triton – he's a real pain in the-"

I stopped and scowled at the look Dakota was giving me. He imitated a swooning version of me that repeated Percy's name over and over in a high falsetto voice. I threw a grape at him and he stopped it midair, falling to the tabletop with a _Plunk!_. He was really starting to grow on me as his character loosened. He slouched back in his chair, a sly smile on his face.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

His attitude had changed surprisingly. After we finished eating, he helped wash the dishes, then sat on the couch with me for half an hour watching television. I learned more about his life, and it was great to have someone to talk to. Dakota wasn't extremely interested in my story anymore, but he was still curious. This time, though, he was trying to achieve it through friendship, which was more than I had yesterday. Turns out, we had a lot in common, because we both liked the same movies. Unfortunately, I couldn't speak to him for five minutes because he liked a band that I hated.

**Now hold your pegasi**! I didn't like him that way. He acted more like how I pictured a brother was: irritating and funny, but he listened too. How did I know that he didn't like me? Well, we did the most awkward quiz ever, in which he admitted that he liked a girl back home. I was cool with it. I even tried to give him some tips, coming from someone who actually never dated anyone. Well, not really.

"Have you ever been in love?" He snapped me from a long train of thought. "Like you're falling so hard, you don't know if you could ever get back on your own two feet?"

I froze. "Yes," I whispered, barely audible. I could see Dakota furrowing his brow, then dropping the subject like a hot potato. He looked beyond the staircase and I realised that I was being rude.

"Say, where are my manners?" I teased him, lifting my arm up in an unmistakeable gesture of escorting. "I forgot to show the Great Centurion my humble abode. Let's go upstairs."

Light streamed through the hallways and rooms, making the atmosphere lighter and more relaxed. In the whole three story house, I had 1 bathroom, 2 bedrooms, a living room, a dining hall, a kitchen, a pool room, a weapons room, an office, a storage room, a Zen garden/meditation room and a balcony with the most amazing view. The city buildings were visible in the distance.

"So much for humble abode," he murmured.

Thank the gods I had cleaned up my bedroom already, otherwise it would have looked like Typhon had walked in (that is to say, like a tornado had hit it). He paced around my room, not being able to restrain himself from moving about, jumping on my bed, and playing with every single freaking thing. If someone had told me just then that he was a Centurion, I would have laughed my butt off. Most of all, he found the artefacts intriguing; they were the only things to capture his attention long enough for me to clean up again, then quickly ushering him out before he caused an other wreckage.

Dakota genuinely loved the other bedroom. It was the one that my sister stayed in once, and never used it again. He jumped onto the window ledge and stared right out at the Aston Martin outside. By this point, I was sure that he'd run off and elope with the car. Noticing his passion, I decided to make another deal.

"You know, nobody uses this bedroom and it takes a while to get back to the city, so I was wondering if you'd like to stay here for the night? You could return tomorrow and say that you were on an important duty. We could even take the car in the morning instead of the subway." I added quickly. What is wrong with me? Why was I being so nice?

"You really mean it?" his eyes shone.

I rolled my eyes. "Well obviously, if I'm asking. _And_ if your leaders are stupid enough to take the bait then, yeah. Surely my magic can help, but only a little - that is, if you are staying…"

He looked incredibly happy, but rapidly controlled himself. I raised my eyebrows, as if somehow picturing the Centurion he would be.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

Dakota adapted to his new room almost right away, laying a plush Hello Kitty mattress on the bed frame, covering it with blankets and sheets from the storage room. Since the room was quite big and comfortable, it seemed like the perfect place to show him the past and why I was the way I was. We realised that it was no longer necessary to do the ritual, but agreed that something brought us together. I told him my crazy theory of the Fates, my sister coming to see my yesterday (couldn't have been a coincidence) and that this was simply destiny.

"What a Greek thing to say," he grinned, but readily accepted it.

The sun was fading over the work desk that was placed in the middle of the guest bedroom, that was newly furnished and cleaned. A couple of ingredients were placed in the centre of the table, and I mixed the powders up, creating a concoction that I poured in two vials.

"What's that for?" he asked, grimacing at the drink.

"It's to help with the scenes. Sometimes dreams get a little fuzzy; this makes it much more vivid and protects anything wrong to happen in the dream. I'm not saying that I don't have enough power, but the potion just secures us."

I handed him one vial, "Bottoms up."

He made a disgusted face as the drink trickled down his throat, stinging and leaving a foamy feeling behind. It was like drinking toxic chemicals. "What now?"

I lied down on the mattress next to his, feeling nauseas, and he followed suit. Within seconds, we blacked out, and I quickly had to concentrate my power into shaping a memory much stronger and much more vivid than I could ever remember.

When my vision cleared, I looked down at myself. I was ghost-like, made up of smoke and passed through the wheat crops around me. Dakota stood next to me, his figure made up the same way. I couldn't remember what made me feel sicker: the potion I took or the fact that I was back home standing in the fields where I grew up.

My first thought was denial – I didn't want to recall my past, much less relive it. The pain was too much to take, and now I had Dakota standing next to me.

A young girl in a white dress ran through the fields, her hands tracing the wheat, humming an old tune. The girl stopped suddenly, whistling loudly. A great, big, black hawk swept through the sky, circling the girl before perching gently on her shoulder. She pet the bird fearlessly, then sped off towards a house in the distance on a hill. It swooped after her, and she laughed and shrieked in delight as they raced back home.

I looked over again at Dakota who had gone completely pale, his hands trembling at her face, his mind trying to calculate the year around him. I could already tell that he had recognised the girl with the night sky eyes and brown curls. That young girl was me.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

I didn't really know what he was expecting. After all, I had told him that I was immortal and this was about 5,000 years ago. I leaned over to Dakota, joking that I guessed I still kind of looked the same since I was eleven. The girl ran in the distance to a hill that housed a small hut facing the ocean. Dakota seemed to understand why I had an ocean front home. On the way, she tripped and fell, dirtying her simple white dress, but got up quickly and tried to brush it off.

We ran after (technically, floated after her), moving much faster than I expected and very quickly caught up to her. Dakota tried to reach forward and talked to her, but I chided him. He needed to be reminded that it was a dream, a memory, not real life.

I soon realized and remembered that the alcove was much bigger on the inside. My attention was quickly caught by a beautiful fabric that laid on the mattress. I examined it closely. There was a small type of bed in the corner, with interwoven threads that linked together, creating a unique pattern that could only be made for the gods. The blanket that covered it was thick and fluffy, and I could only imagine the type of animal that was given to my mother for this. Besides the rocking chair that sat near the window, looking out into the deep blue sea, the bed seemed to be the only luxury in the home; no toys, not even a pile of rocks to play with.

The young girl didn't even mind, sitting on the ground and tracing dots in the dust on the floor. No - not dots, stars. The stars were perfectly aligned with what you could see every night, with the exception of the new additions like Orion, who came later, and Zoe Nightshade. The hawk moved swiftly to a hanging bar from the ceiling. There was also a table, a weaker structure, that tilted because the legs were not all equal. In the corner, a door let out to another room – the bathroom, I remembered.

Someone materialized in front of us; another girl who looked about 5 years older than mini-me, though it was hard to tell, since her features were much more mature. She had blond hair and pale-like skin that had a papery texture. She scooped up the girl, spinning her around like a rag doll. They hugged for a moment, laughing and smiling, as a voice echoed from behind them.

A woman, this time, with jet black hair and black eyes as dark as the cosmos had entered the hut, a warm smile on her face. I nearly choked.

"Well," she said quietly, "How are my little girls?"

The effect of her gentle words were instantaneous. The girls ran up to their mother, arms open for a huge hug. They embraced, but only for a moment, then they talked rapidly and excitedly, chattering amongst themselves and stopping to hug one another once more every couple of minutes. They all shared the same dark eyes and pale skin, it would be impossible to say that they weren't related and it was hard to focus on one at a time. They seemed to be speaking ancient Greek, but their words came out in perfect English. For a minute, I thought that it was just me who could understand them, but when I looked over at Dakota, I could tell that he comprehended it too.

I, (young me,) clambered up onto the bed, my sister doing the same. My hands ran across the beautiful designs, my eyes giving gratitude to the woman who had got it for me and she replied a silent_ you're welcome_. As my sister took the cover over us, my mother grabbed the rocking chair, placing just next to us so that we could continue to talk. I think I know where I get my overly social skills from now.

She had just sat down, brushing the wild locks of hair from my face like my sister just yesterday. When she stiffened in her seat. I furrowed by brow, and the beautiful girl next me had the same look of concern. The moment passed quickly, and my mother waved it aside. Instead, she frowned in disapproval at the state of my clothing.

"What happened?" her words rang slightly harsher than she meant to, and my mother spoke again, this time much softer. "Did you fall down? Did you hurt yourself?"

My eyes did not meet hers though, because I was always afraid of disappointing and disobeying her. My sister wrapped her arm protectively over mine.

"Don't worry about it," she said calmly. "We'll get you a new dress in no time. And this one will be a thousand times prettier than anyone else's."

She reached for mine and my mother's hand, but when I lifted my gaze I saw that her eyes were wide open, her jaw unhinged. For the first time, I see that she is utterly terrified, in total shock. My sister starts to speak, but falters as my mother turned towards her, her voice barely audible. Suddenly, I see a distant figure with a horse, traveling and racing towards our small, defenseless hut.

"He's here," she whispered, her voice hoarse with pain. She looks up at us, who sit mystified and baffled, watching her. Her pale face was etched with dark lines, demonstrating the horror on her face. "You have to run, now. Run now!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

I watched her hurriedly run around the place, her hands grabbing anything in her reach. She paused, grasping her hair like she was about to have a total breakdown.

I looked over to my sister, but she looked as equally as confused. For a minute, her face looked ashen grey, and I swear that she was thinking that this was about her father but dismissed the idea, glancing back at our mother who wore a different expression that we had never seen. I quickly realised that she is packing things together on the table, things I never thought could be in the shack – weapons, books, clothing, jewellery. They are all placed in a small bag that is shoved in the corner, hidden under the bed. Our initial thought was that she was escaping whatever was coming towards us. But then the realisation dawned on us. Sort of.

"I have to go," she closed her eyes, as if silently praying. "But you need to promise me that everything is going to be alright with you two."

My mother stares desperately at my sister, but she shrugs off the request, determined to get to the bottom of this.

"What in Tartarus is this about?" she demanded fiercely. I jumped, never hearing my sister talk that way to my mother before. I seem to be the only one in the room completely lost now.

My mother ignores her, her hands still fidgeting around, her dark eyes darting nervously across the room. "I should have listened, I should have listened, I should have understood what she meant… She tried to warn me, after all. It's too late but I knew it right away, I had a feeling. I never really listened though, no I didn't. And now I pay the price. My adorable girls."

She pauses, looking directly at us. She huffed, determined to think that it was not her fault, even with the guilt showing in her appearance. "No," she concluded, "He would still come after me, even if I ran. He would still come."

"Tell me what is going on right this instant! This is ridiculous!" my sister's shrill voice echoes through the cavern, with a shake in her voice. This captures my mother's attention, though her next words aren't spoken in a angry voice, but more assertive and focused than before.

"Listen," she instructs, "When he gets here, tell him – tell him that she is dead."

Her voice shakes on the last word, but she manages to get it through. My sister's hands flew up to her mouth, tears almost visible. She begins to protest, but my mother holds up her hand in order to finish.

"Your sister will need to be hid immediately before his arrival, and she must stay hidden and quiet the entire time – no matter what." She continues, firmly and with clarity. "Then, he will first ask if there are any other children of mine, and you must say no despite whatever happens. You need to go with him back to Olympus for judgement and if you respect the gods, have enough power, they will make you a goddess, though not as well treated as the others."

She turns to address me and her voice slightly wavers at my questioning, innocent look. "After your sister is gone, wait until nightfall, then take your bag and head to the pond, past the fields. Make sure nobody sees you or catches you. In a small wooded area around there, there is a daughter of a nymph by the name of Amyntas. If you tell her who you are she'll take you in, but not for long. If all goes well and as planned, both of you may see each other again, but I fear that is not soon enough. This is the best I can do for you both."

She brushed a tear off her cheek, hugged us tightly, taking one last look at us. She turned around, heading out the side door. My sister stood there in complete shock before she could find her voice again.

"No," she muttered, her voice close to tears. "No, no, no…YOU ARE NOT LEAVING ME!"

"Mother?" I asked in a tremulous voice.

She turns back, her feet centimetres away from the edge of the cliff. The wind caught her hair, and she looked back at us sadly, then up at the sky. Despite the suspense and revulsion I felt, the sun still shines on her face, making it glow and hits her in the most beautiful way possible. Then she takes a step back and I watch helplessly as my sister sinks down to her knees and cries out because my mother plummeted over a hundred feet off the cliff, into the abyss of the deep blue shimmering water.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I shut my eyes and counted to ten, breathing slowly, not wanting to take in anything that just happened. My sister was in zombie-like trance, until she snapped out of it, as the hooves grow louder and closer. She turned to me, handing me my mother's old cloak and closes her eyes, muttering a spell. Then she snaps her fingers and quickly turned away. I hid in the corner of the bed as my mother had told me, following her instructions carefully. As the sound of hooves come to an abrupt halt and is replaced by footsteps, I breathe shakily: the rider is here.

"Where is she?" he walked in, searching the place. "Where is she?"

He didn't notice me, which led me to realise that she had put an invisibility spell over me. My sister's eyes glared at the stranger, and while tears streaked my cheek, she didn't even cry. Not once.

"She is gone milord," she glared at him. "She won't be here anymore, so you can forget about going after her again."

The rider looks suspicious, but after thoroughly looking the place over, he asks, "How did she go?"

My sister points to the ocean beside us, at a small island that was never there before. "Ortygia. She left the island in her memory. I saw it myself. Let that be proof enough for you."

"Alright then, are there are other of her spawn, witch?"

She pressed her lips together tightly then responded, "No my lord, it is only me."

He sighs, looking a little bit relieved. "I trust you know that your father is dead, which means that you must return to Olympus with me."

My sister didn't move. I didn't really expect her to; her dad wasn't exactly warm and cuddly. She manages a quick nod, and the rider is impressed at her incredible amount of respect and tolerance. You could see him favouring her already, but he wanted to test her. To see how well she could take the pain.

"Wait a minute," he stops as my sister follows him dutifully. He glanced at my hawk, Siria, that sat on his perch and he gave my sister a smirk. My eyes widened as the rider grabbed a lightning bolt (where had that come from?) and fired it right at my pet. The bird was gone. Just like my mother.

Tears fell rapidly from my eyes, my hands covering the screams I wanted so desperately to let out. I know my sister felt the same way because she was the one that gave me my first real companion. Her jaw opens, ready to cry out, but she shut it firmly and fast, remembering what our mother had said.

She followed the rider, who wore an expression of admiration as she marched onto the horse with her head high and dignity intact even though I could tell that she was broken from the inside. She took one last glance in my general direction, then sped off with the rider into the distance.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

I sat there in revolt, a nauseating feeling tugging back at me. Nightfall came swiftly and silently, and so far nobody had come for me. Rubbing my bloodshot eyes, I crept out of hut, clutching the bag so tightly that my knuckles turned in pale in the moonlight. The night sky seemed to mourn, turning a jet-black shade that almost gave you the feeling that you were blind.

I ran through the hills, flinching at every sound and movement. I fell a couple times before making it to a small cottage surrounded by trees and plants. I almost slipped into the dark water that ran around the house which formed a quaint pond on the other side of the trail. I went up to the door and my hand knocked against it. My breath was coming in ragged sobs now and I was struggling to stay awake. As the door opened, I saw the faint image of a short woman with mousy light-brown hair and deep green eyes before the dizziness overcame me and I fainted right there.

The scene changed, showing various images of my quiet life for 8 months where I worked and helped Amyntas with multiple chores and work. She was neither gentle nor mean, kind nor stern. But she trusted me and I was forced to trust her. I was about 13 when she let me go off on my own, to fend for myself in this circus of a life.

The first couple months out there were mayhem. I scrounged for food, running constantly from the monsters that always seemed to find me, no matter what. Finally the scene focused on another one of my memories where sweat hung over my brow as I chopped wood and built a steady house for myself in a little clearing where nobody could find me, especially not the monsters. This was the sixth house I had ever built, the last three burnt down and the others destroyed or ruined.

I was 15 at this point and fed up with the life I was bestowed with from the Fates. Moreover, I was incredibly bitter. So when my sister just appeared out of nowhere just then, I was not happy.

"Great work, sis," I gave a hateful glance at her. "Showing up after three years and leaving me defenseless all this time is perfectly alright. See you in another 3."

I pushed past her with a bundle of wood and she looked at me, outraged. "I tried to come back for you. I did everything I could to protect you. Or did you not remember the day I had to leave?"

I rolled my eyes and muttered a curse. She didn't _get it_, did she?

"What I know is that I've been reduced to bones and scars while you've been feasting on Mt Olym-"

"Oh, please!" she yelled, interrupting me and I bit my tongue, knowing that I had gone too far. I didn't care. I wanted to die. "You think I've been happy all these years? You think I still don't have nightmares about what happened?! I am nothing but a pawn, a pet to the real gods and goddesses there. The things I had to do, the things they put me through… But I'm different now, and I'm not leaving you here alone without a fight."

I looked deeply into her eyes and noticed the changes for the first time, knowing they are harder, colder and more permanent. Whatever they did, whatever they tried to change had worked. I had to remember that she was no longer herself, no longer my loving dear sister. I leaned over and reluctantly shook her hand. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

Before I could set things straight with Dakota, the scene around us morphed darkly, and out of the ground a figure of dirt started to form in front of us. I grabbed Dakota's hand, squeezing it so tightly that it went purple, and held my breath. I didn't dare move; the horrified expression on Dakota's face told me he knew what was going on too. Gaea was here, in the flesh.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I didn't see my sister until 4 years later.

Beads of perspiration falling from my forehead as I leaned back on the wooden wall of my cabin. My hands gripped around my wound, applying pressure around the gash in my thigh where blood had already stained its way through the first bandage, as I desperately struggled to control it. The night sky that loomed through the window turned darker by the minute, much like my vision at the moment.

Where the wound was, the fabric of my toga shorts was cut and scarlet blood polka dotted my light blue tunic. I latched onto the armrest of a chair, hoping I could get myself up and into it along with some water and more bandages. I winced as I moved my leg and silently, for the first time ever, prayed for my sister to be here. _Oh gods_, I thought, _this would be a stupid way to die_.

Just then, the light shimmered shades of gold and silver in front of me and I ducked away to hide my eyes. My sister materialised in front of me, looking at me with a less concerned face and more of a questioning gaze, fiddling with her black silk clothing. Her focus slowly drifted towards my injury. Finally, she bent down and closed her eyes and I felt the pain from the bleeding stop, replaced with a incredibly intense stinging feeling on my thigh and a Titan-sized headache. She looked at me, hands on her hips, waiting for answers.

I gave her the ten-second explanation through gritted teeth, while removing the bandages. "Empousai. Trap."

"And what made you think you could you could take her?" her expression contorted into one of anger. Funny, if my mother had never gone she would have jumped all over the place, crying and nursing me back to health. Then again, if my mother had never gone, I wouldn't have just fended off an empousai on my own.

"I don't know about you, but I think I'm going to be doing this for a long time," I muttered.

The minute the words spilled out of my mouth, I could almost see the light bulb over my sister's head.

She scrambled for her words, lost in thought. "Repeat after me: I, Celeste, swear on the River Styx to protect the children of the gods and fight the evils of the world until my last dying breath."

My jaw hung open. Protect the children of the gods that killed my mother? Was I insane? Yes. Completely.

I repeated the oath hesitantly, but when I finished it my sister looked satisfied. It only felt like minutes later, I had woken up from sleep and my sister stood over me, explaining what had happened the night before. I was immortal, bound to my word to help demigods of the world. I remember feeling the difference – the glow of the skin, the silver blood. This whole 'immortal' thing was just so that she wouldn't have to keep coming to my rescue (I knew she cared about me!), and if the gods found out about me surely they wouldn't want to kill someone on their side. Someone who has saved their own kid's lives.

Before I could set things straight with Dakota, the scene around us morphed darkly, and out of the ground a figure of dirt started to form in front of us. I grabbed Dakota's hand, squeezing it so tightly that it went purple, and held my breath. I didn't dare move; the horrified expression on Dakota's face told me he knew what was going on too. Gaea was here, in the flesh.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

She was actually kind of pretty in an ancient beauty kind of way, with silver hair than stopped at her knees at penetrating colourless eyes that contrasted with her dark robes that changed earthen colours, never staying the same. Her appearance couldn't even hide the fact that she was older than the gods because she resembled a little old grandma, except Gaea was more like the _I'll-kill-you-before-I-bake-the-cookies_ type. She studied us both, flashing me a winning smile.

"My great-granddaughter! How lovely to see you. And this must be the son of that drunkard Bacchus, right? Well, what a lovely family reunion this is…must be a long time, isn't that right Celeste?"

Her voice was sweet, like flowers blossoming and it made it harder to focus on what she was saying. Dakota clenched his fists and I turned my attention back to the earth goddess.

"Yes," I managed. I had no idea how my voice wasn't shaking with fear. "H-how, you… you're um, what?"

She grinned at my tripping over words. There was no doubt about it: Gaea had me in a trap, but she loved playing cat and mouse. "I can assure you that is not my final form. I have certain, er… adjustments to make. Though it won't be long, not long until everything is mine. Some big changes are about to take place and the gods have no idea what real power is truly about."

"Why? Why destroy everything?" Dakota's voice was sharp with anger.

She spread her hands, "There is no goodness, there is no evil. So there must be nothing."

Gods, she was stupid.

"But why?! If only you saw how we could be, if we could work together?" I cried defiantly.

"And what the gods did to you was fair?" she scoffed. "Everything they took from you meant nothing? My other children, the Titans, tried very hard last summer and failed badly. But this time, my sons are ready, and nothing will stand in their way. There are no jokes, no tricks, no puny demigods to stand in my way. The camps will fall, as will Mt Olympus. But you are right, Celeste, we should be working together. Which is why I'm here right now."

"You can forget about that, Dirt Queen!"

Gaea looked over at Dakota, who was glaring furiously at her. "It seems your friend here doesn't know the whole story. Perhaps if I showed him…"

I widened my eyes and reached forward to stop her, but it was too late. She closed her eyes and clapped her hands, making a noise that echoed across the dream and changed our surroundings. We were in the original empire, the great Empire of Rome.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The streets around us bustled with people, all carrying a variety of things that we wouldn't need today. Street vendors set their items up at the sides. Most of them were careful not to step into the boiling hot sunlight. Trees were scattered around the city and they provided shade to the grateful townsfolk of Mire-Sapora. Despite the heat, many children were playing outside, the water glimmering and rippling in deep shades of blue and crystal.

The sound of hooves clattered against the dusty streets and parents swooped in to carry their children to safety. Many merchants peered out from their stalls, packing away their finest in case it were attackers. But it was the Caesar's army that paraded the around with their grand SPQR banners and shiny medals for the glorious victory against a bunch of barbaric foreigners from Germania. How hypocritical; as if the Romans weren't barbaric.

The people applauded and cheered them on with sayings I'd long forgotten, showering them with roses and various petals from flowers that that no longer exists. The leader, who loved the attention, was a large, muscular man with long red-ish brown hair that was strewn lazily against his brown armour. Supposed son of Mars. He held a new deadly-looking spear splattered with blood in his hand and waved it to the audience triumphantly: spoils of war. The audience just cheered louder.

Behind him was a warrior who looked more like a boy than a man when he was put in the crowd with the others. But for anyone who knew him, his slight build was simply a military strategy, because when he stepped on the battlefield he would fight like a demon. His entire armour was strapped on perfectly, a gleaming medal of honour pinned to his chest as well. His hairs was covered and tucked away with a helmet but the few strands that stood out were chestnut coloured and wavy. His skin was as plain as the moon and dimples dotted his pale cheeks. His eyes… his eyes were the colour of the night sky. A white sword hung at his side, swinging a little as the horse marched on.

Damn, was that what I looked like as a boy?

The crowd was deafening at this point, and as the complete army had squeezed into one little street, they dismounted they horses and went to celebrate. The townspeople rejoiced, setting up an area of the army to stay and providing comfort for the brave soldiers returned from their battle. By the time night fell, the whole village camped out in a torch lit tent, listening to stories of war and courage.

"And I kicked him back, sending him flying through the air. I slashed and I dodged and I-" a man was recounting as I passed by. Loud giggles erupted from the kids who listened.

I felt a rush of emotion over me, as the little children watched patiently, hoping one day to fight a war. But they didn't even know what war was about. The blood, the gore, the screams; where's the glory in that?

I spun around, searching for someone to talk to. Usually the people found me first, and I would desperately try to run away as they demanded for riotous events in the battle. There wasn't much point in telling stories of people I had killed. Besides, I took the oath to kill monsters, not warriors – gloating about their defeat was useless. Draining my goblet, I moved over to corner with the most intricate weave on the tent that exchanged colours of royal blue and gold, feeling slightly awkward and extremely tired.

And there I saw it. The most beautiful creature to walk the earth (Aphrodite strike me down), with deep gold hair and blue-grey eyes walked straight into the tent. Everything seemed to go vertigo, and my brain was either fuzzy from the drink or the angel. It _was_ an angel, draped in fine silk cloths and jewels, surrounded by others like stars to a moon. I didn't even know what I was doing, but it didn't matter. I was in love instantly.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"There's the young lad!"

A hand clasped on my shoulder. It was Symmachus, a large, beefy man with bushy black hair. He served in the legion as well, with great courage and honour. One of the best fighters, actually, and not to mention one of my only friends. An unknown parentage, though everyone said he might have been related to Apollo somehow. Next to him was the leader Hermias, who was grinning from ear to ear, the last of his drink sloshing around in his cup.

"There's the lad!" Symmachus repeated drunkenly. I could already tell that he had had at least 6 or more goblets. "The great Maximius Vespera Cyprian! Our soldier who fights like the gods!"

"Careful there, Symmachus," Hermias cautioned, "it would be unwise to taunt the gods. Now, my boy, you've won us another battle. What are you doing here…?"

He craned his beefy neck to see what I was gawking at. His expression turned into one that looked liked he was suppressing a laugh.

"Her?" Symmachus roared, chuckling. "You are a mere boy, only 16 years. You may fight like a man, but she is too old for you."

I gritted my teeth. Everyone thought that I was 15 as boy even though I was 19 when I became immortal and actually a couple hundred years old when I served Rome.

"Her name is Helena Laurentinus Aurelius, whose beauty matches no other. Take my advice, lad," Hermias said slightly gentler. "Wait until you're older, then you'll find a girl worth marrying. Trust me."

His expression was so forlorn, I wondered if maybe he was missing his family and his home right this minute. Hermias never talked much, but I always got the feeling that every battle he survived was just one closer to his untimely death. Yikes.

"Of course, sir," I gave him a look to show I understood completely. I couldn't see her at all.

But I did.

I did everything, and I mean _everything_, to delay our departure from the city. In that time, I did meet Helena and we talked a lot together. The stupid army that we had defeated sent a message to the town, saying that it was an unfair battle and they wanted a rematch. Basically, they were trying to attack the city. I was grinning from ear to ear, and suggested that we stay to protect the citizens, when actually I was just going be with Helena the entire time.

It would be kind of offensive to say love at first sight, because that sounds like you're judging the person by their looks. I think what I truly fell in love with, was her personality and her character. Helena was definitely NOT what I expected at all: funny, witty, sarcastic. I mean sure, she was caring and giving, but she was really comfortable to be around and after a couple centuries, it was the only thing I was looking for.

Eventually, she found out that I was a girl and (hey, surprise!) she loved me back. Proof that you should always text your crush first because they actually might reply. Anyways, she didn't tell anyone but she never knew who I really was, my godly parentage, or my story. That never stopped her from being suspicious, and sometimes her guesses were quite close. I refused to tell her anything from my past though, and that kept her on her toes for more information. I was living in a deep emotional soap opera which was maybe the most confusing part of my life. But I had Helena, so what could possibly go wrong?

Well, just about everything.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 

I feel that somewhere along my life, someone forgot to tell me that things can never go right for me. Ever.

It was two weeks before our final date of departure and I was not at all ready to leave. It wasn't just Helena, but it was also her city that I'd come to love over the time that we spent there. My days were spent out in the gusty winds that blew threw an almost endless summer, while my friends tallied up the cost that the Legion would have to reimburse the town with.

At night, I took Helena out onto the water and we sat still, my boat riding gently on the waves. The sun hadn't fully set, so a light glow was cast upon the dark water.

"So I've been thinking…" she started to say. "Maybe you wouldn't have to leave after all, I mean, there are excellent positions for work here and everything."

"You want to me to stay with you?"

She looked down, dismissing the idea. "Well, I just thought… that maybe we could - well, that we could get married."

"You want to get married?" I asked in an incredulous voice. Her expression changed and I realised that I had hurt her feelings. "If you want to get married, then okay, sure, let's get married."

She arched her eyebrow and asked, "You mean it?"

"Well, why not? If we're going to be together then maybe we should get married. We could even move to –"

"Move?! From my city?" her voice squeaked.

"We don't have to make any decisions now," I added quickly. "Just maybe a thought for the future. For now, consider us… engaged."

"Engaged," she smiled, and that was the end of our conversation. It was done, just like that.

We rode the rest of the waves in silence, then returned back to the town as the sun disappeared. Helena pecked me on the cheek, then bounded onto the road back to her home. I tied up my boat at a small dock, knotting over and over as I'd done a million time before.

By the time night had fallen, I set foot on my way to my house and on my way, noticed a person dressed in black at the corner of a pillar. I saw her for a second or two before she ducked away, hiding from me. Curious, I followed her to where she was running to, but it seemed more like she was leading me somewhere. I came to an abrupt stop by the lake and she turned to face me. It was my sister.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 

Jeez, she needed to stop being all mysterious like that.

"Good, you followed me." She sighed, running her fingers through her hair and brushing dust off her black robes. She looked different those days, ever since the Empire was formed and even before that. She became more…Roman, I guess.

I frowned. "What in the world-?"

"I need to talk to you," my sister said, "And I'm going to get straight to the point: you can't be here anymore."

There. Just like that. I had finally found something worth living for in my entire life, and I couldn't have for more than a minute. At least, before something had to come take it away. At first, I thought she was joking, but the thought quickly disappeared. She doesn't joke.

"What do you mean, _I can't_? I have spent years doing work just to stay alive and now you're telling me that I can't stay?" There was a sharp edge in my voice, and I felt my legs stiffen, rooting me to my spot.

My sister must have recognized the signs immediately and put her hands up in surrender. "There is nothing that I want more than for you to be happy. But that army was not joking and they… they have some gods on their side. Discordia and Mars are only some who crave battle for now, but the other gods stir when they hear of a powerful fighter. They are wondering who you are, Vespera, and should they find out through this war then we are both done for."

I stood quiet for a couple of minutes, the sour taste biting at my mouth. The night sky above was turning darker, the stars brighter as my temperature rose. I needed to stop the outburst before it happened, needed to control it. Yet, I've been on the Earth a long time and never once have I been able to stop it.

"Can I bring Helena?"

As soon as the words escaped my mouth I saw her lip curl, maybe not intentionally. She just didn't get the prospect of love (at least, not when it meant anything to anyone else).

"No," she coughed, "I'm – I'm terribly sorry, you can't bring her with you."

I winced, expecting the answer given, but pained nonetheless. I started to walked away, not knowing what exactly I should say.

"You have but a day's time to say your goodbyes, then leave. Don't tell anyone about this or else I expect the Fates won't be too pleased. The army will attack around the evening, when no one will expect it. It's not a very, um, Roman strategy - something that can't be beaten." She called out, her words echoing from far. "And Celeste, be careful!"

'Be careful'; what else would I be after all?


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Needless to say, I couldn't sleep that night nor would I see Helena that morning. That's why, as stubborn of a girl she is, she came to see me around noon – marching down the halls of my house, startling the servants and several animals. She knocked loudly on my door. I wouldn't answer. A few more knocks, and the door swung open in utter frustration. She opened it to find me sitting on my bed in silence, my best clothes and all of my belongings packed away.

"_Where have you been?!_" she huffed. "I haven't seen you all morning!"

I couldn't bring myself to face her. What was I supposed to say? Knowing her, I'm sure that if I told her the truth our conversation would go _so_ well. But not being able to tell her that she had to run while she could was too much.

I slowly turned towards her and regretted my decision immediately. I never wanted to see her like this: wind blown hair, wild eyes and hysteria seeping through her words. Her robes were a mess. Dust and dirt covered the bottom and the expensive fabric at the hip had a big tear in it.

"Right, so you're not going to say anything? Maybe explain wh-"

"Stop." I interrupted. My voice was heavier with emotion than I had expected. I tried hard to control it before speaking again, but it only came out as a whisper. "I'm leaving today, and there's nothing you can do."

"But the army doesn't leave for weeks…" she faltered. I could feel her studying my face to find out what went wrong. Her voice turned bitter, which was worse than the hysteria. "Alright, so you're going to pick up and leave? Just like that? Oh, I should have known better. It's not like you actually – Oh gods, how could I have been so stupid? You want to leave?! Then LEAVE!"

She grabbed a vase from the table and threw it. It hit the wall, crashing to the floor. Then she stormed out of my room and down the halls. I watched her as she marched away, kicking up dust in her trail. The shattered pieces of the vase started to shake the ground.

"Not now," I muttered, rubbing my eyes.

A hand reached out for my shoulder and I felt her cold fingertips hesitate. I didn't bother saying anything. Besides, she wasn't always the best at comforting.

"Did you want to stay for a bit longer?" My sister's voice trailed off. I knew she was just trying to be nicer; I could see the sun setting fast. Looks like some gods were just too eager for bloodshed. She took one quick glance at the broken vase and it levitated into the air, putting itself back together. I could hear the last piece attach before it gently propped onto the table again. Suddenly she gasped and I instinctively half-carried/half-led her to my bed as she buckled. She sat for a minute, clutching her forehead. In a split second, her form changed to a woman with white robes, her features blurry and distorted. Then her image turned back to normal.

"Sorry, that doesn't happen much. The transition between Greek and Roman has been tough on all the gods, but I'm relieved that the end is close."

"The end?" I said, as she reached over for a glass of water.

She took a long sip, blinking rapidly to return her vision back to normal. "Our first change was hard, but as Rome progresses, we get more and more in control of our personalities. If Rome falls, and by the Fates it will, Greece will remain and after that we will fully be able to switch over forms whenever we please." She paused and frowned, "At least, I hope so."

Her breath stopped short and I grabbed her arm. "You okay?" I asked. "The personality shift again?"

She looked up at me, confused then realization seemed to spread across her face. "It's Mars. He's here."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 

"So should I just run or what?"

She pursed her lips, thoroughly annoyed that she was going through the same process as before, the only exception being my mother not there. "No, no, hide – hide quickly. If you leave, he'll notice."

She snapped her fingers, and I knew that I was invisible. My hand was still gripped on my sword; Olympians couldn't be fooled easily. But this was my sister they were messing with, and that is pretty damn hard.

As always, my sister was right. Mars materialized in front of us. I'd never seen him before, with his blazing eyes and legion cut hair. His robes were regal and he wore more armor and weaponry than in all the time I've served in the empire's army.

"Lord Mars," my sister bowed, "what brings you here?"

He grunted. "Same thing as you. It's been a while since we've had any good bloodshed; being that there apparently a special warrior out here."

"Sp-special, sir?"

"All that talk on Olympus and you haven't heard?" Mars bellowed and gave a deep laugh. "Everyone's been saying that there's a member of legion out here that fights like no other, like the gods. I said, 'Like the gods? That's insane!'. Being the god of war and all, you'd think _I_ would've noticed him by now-"

Mars was cut off by a strangled gasp, and I knew what was happening. He clutched his head desperately as his formed flickered back between personalities then finally settled on the Greek side. And boy, oh boy, did he look different.

His military hair cut was darker and curlier. His toga was scarlet, in contrast with a more tanned foundation. Cuts decorated his arm, showing off his muscles and the sandals on his feet were a of different style – a Greek style. The eyes were still the same though. Still blazing with that anger.

"Ares," she whispered.

He took one look at my sister and grinned. "So, I guess Rome suits you. You look…darker. I like that."

He was walking up to her when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. His eyes blazed brighter and he dragged my sister up to the balcony.

"The most perfect view," I could hear him say. "They're here – the battle's about to start."

And then, in the distance I saw something. My sister squinted to get a better look, but I already knew. The army was here.

For an instant, I was too stunned to do anything. But when my sister nervously turned back face me, I knew what I had to do. While my sister kept Ares' attention with small talk, I silently grabbed my bags and fled through the open doors. My servants ran to hide, several of them running for the hills behind the house. I knew that they would try and take my belongings and my riches too. It's not like any of those things mattered.

I ran through the streets, vaguely weary of the foot prints I was leaving behind. Surely, my sister would cover them up, or maybe the oncoming army would do the job. Either way, nobody really seemed to notice amid the panic.

The only real problem was Ares. He was growing extremely restless, as he had not seen the famous fighter or any real bloodshed. But he didn't have to wait long.

The army charged the streets and everyone screamed, trying to escape as fast as possible. Some succeeded, getting to the boats swiftly and piling in their kids. I hoped Helena was one of them, but as I was trying to get to the big hill, I spotted her running to my house. Her family yelled after her, as they were leaving in their boat. I ran as fast as possible to her, the dark shadow of an enemy rider passing over her. Her body fell to the ground with a sickeningly thud.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as the rider rode away, leaving Helena to die. A large spear was inserted through her body, piercing her stomach. I dropped down to hold her. There was no heartbeat.


End file.
